Hammer unions are well known couplings used in the oil, gas and mining industries for fastening pipe together. For example, pipe carrying high-pressure fluids such as drilling mud, fracturing fluids and oil and gas produced in drilling activities may be coupled using hammer unions. Hammer unions generally comprise an annular metal body having a thread end and a nut end with one or more lugs or wing nuts extending outwardly from the annular body which can be struck with a hammer, e.g. a sledge hammer, to rotate the hammer union in order to tighten or loosen it. Over time, repetitively striking the wing nuts on a hammer union damages the wing nuts, causing the wing nuts to wear down and become misshapen, making the wing nuts more difficult to hit with a hammer as time goes on. If the wing nuts become too damaged, the entire hammer union must be replaced. Replacing a hammer union is generally costly and time consuming, since the pipe has to be cut apart and re-welded. This is generally becoming more of a problem as more expensive pipes are increasingly being used in drilling mud systems in oil and gas wells to accommodate higher pressures.
Instead of using a hammer to apply torque to a hammer union, a wrench may be used. However wrenches may not be able to apply enough torque to a hammer union to loosen it when a hammer union is tightly secured, and/or to tighten it enough to get a tight seal. Wrenches do not generally stand up to being hit by a hammer or other blunt force if needed when the hammer union is stuck. Wrenches may also not be able to fit on a hammer union that has damaged wing nuts.
There is a need for a system for loosening and tightening hammer unions that does not damage the hammer union. There is a further need for a system that is simple and quick to use, and holds up to harsh working conditions.